Halloween! What are you making?

Boo! It's only two days until Strung Out Fiber Arts' favorite holiday. Though my shop is always busy in the months before Halloween, the number of orders that came in this year caught me off guard. I have been busy busy making many little Snow Whites, many little Cinderellas, and many, many, many little Elvises. Now that Halloween is right around the corner, I have a bit more time for my own projects.

 

If (like me) you're still in the Halloween mood and (unlike me) have finished your Halloween costume,  check out this great list of free patterns for Halloween Decorations compiled by Moogly.

I particularly enjoy the Spider in a Jar on Fun and Fang and the Zombie Phone Case on Cult of Crochet, which, let's be honest, I would rock all year round. All these last minute goodies look like tons of fun, but what I really want to tell you about is the super-secret project I'll be showing off on Halloween night.

It's quite a bit different from my usual Halloween projects, which run more along the line of these extremely classy wigs (warning: shameless plug for a pattern available in my Ravelry Store).

The Mod Bob with Devil Horns

The Mod Bob with Alien Antennae

My project this year isn't a hat at all. There are no horns or antennas involved. No blood shot eyeballs. No vampire teeth.
 
In fact, it's a sweater.

Scary right? If you're too afraid, you can stop reading here. I won't judge.

It is in fact a very specific sweater from a particular classic horror movie, and I am very much looking forward to sharing my terrifying new look with you all (just as soon as I get the darn thing finished). Any guesses?

No, it's not this one.



Too Easy!

I can't tell you just yet, since it's still in it's final stages of seaming and finishing, but I will tell you it involves cables. A terrifying number of cables! Haunted cables.

Do you recognize it?

Tune in for the exciting conclusion...coming soon.

Rainbows and Adult Beverages

Summer: it's all about rainbows and beer, amiright? Here in sticky, swampy New Orleans, I admit I haven't been keeping up with my backlog of projects as well I do in the cool(er) months, but summer is the perfect time for those quick, stash-busting projects that can keep your fingers busy without heating you up. No afghans, please.

This project is fun for a lot of reasons. It has rainbows, it has googly eyes, it begs you to crack open a cold one, and best of all you can use it right away no matter what the weather is outside because you won't be wearing it—your beverage will!

Behold the rare and elusive Rainbeer

.

I made this for a good friend's birthday and it looks like the celebration it is. A birthday celebration and a celebration of marriage equality, not to mention a celebration of the brief cool respite that follows summer rainstorms.

You may notice this koozie is more expressive than most.  The eyes are by no means necessary. I mean, a traditional rainbow is still pretty fun. But I have to say I was surprised by how much they add to the piece. Even without any other facial feature, this koozie has some serious personality. 

Rainbeer

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn in the colors of the Rainbow, plus black and white for eyes if desired. Shown in Red Heart Super Saver in Ranch Red, Carrot, Gold, Hunter Green, Royal, Dark Orchid, Black, and White.
• US H (5 mm) hook, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Tapestry or Large eye blunt
• Sewing pins

 Notes

• Turning chains do not count as the first stitch of rows.
• Repeat directions following * to end of round.

Abbreviations

ch: chain

sc: single crochet

hdc: half-double crochet

sl: slipstitch

inc: increase (crochet two stitches in one space)

BLO: back loop only

Gauge

14 sts and 11 rows = 4 inches in hdc

Instructions

With Dark Orchid, make a magic ring.

1:  Ch 1, hdc 8. Sl to join this and all succeeding rounds. Do not turn.  (8)

2:  Ch 1, *hdc inc.  (16)

3:  Ch 1, *hdc, hdc inc.  (24)

4:  Ch 1, *hdc 5, hdc inc.  (28)

5-6:  Ch 1, *hdc.

7:  With Royal, join round in back loop only (BLO). Ch 1, *hdc in BLO.

8:  Ch 1, *hdc.

9:  With Hunter Green, join round in BLO. Ch 1, *hdc in BLO.

10:  Ch 1, *hdc.

11:  With Gold, join round in BLO. Ch 1, *hdc in BLO.

12:  Ch 1, *hdc.

13:  With Carrot, join round in BLO. Ch 1, *hdc in BLO.

14:  Ch 1, *hdc.

15:  With Ranch Red, join round in BLO. Ch 1, *hdc in BLO.

16:  Ch 1, *hdc.

17:  Join in BLO. *Sl loosely in BLO. Join round. Tie off. Weave in all ends. 

Your koozie should now look like this:

 Stop here, or give your koozie some personality and add the googly eyes!

Eyes (optional)

Make 2

Pupil

With black, make a magic ring.

Ch 1, sc 4. Sl to join. Tie off leaving long tail to sew edge down to eye white.

White

With white, make a magic ring.

Ch 1, hdc 8. Sl to join. Tie off, leaving long tail to sew eye to koozie.

  

Finishing

Position pupil on white however looks best to you and pin in place. This is totally personal preference. You can have the pupils centered at the bottom of the white if you like the way mine looks, but you can also have your Rainbeer looking up, looking to the side, cross-eyed, or with both eyes in different directions. Give it some personality! Using a large eye blunt needle, stitch around edge of pupil. Weave in ends.

Next, position the finished eyes on the koozie and pin in place. I thought mine looked best with the bottom of the eyes lined up with the bottom of the gold band, but again, totally up to you! Have fun with it. Using a large eye blunt needle, stitch around edge of white. Weave in ends.

You’re done!  Give your Rainbeer a drink!

 My Rainbeer has a Sierra Nevado Torpedo. I think he likes it.

This design is available as a pdf download from my Ravelry shop: Strung Out Fiber Arts Designs

Quick Projects for Father's Day

If you're anything like me, about a week out is when you start really thinking (panicking?) about getting together a handmade gift.

Thankfully, there are lots and lots of free or inexpensive patterns you can whip up quickly and easily and that will be sure to make your dad proud.

Moogly has several lists of free patterns for Dad-day you can find on the blog. I'm partial to this one from last year: Father's Day Crochet 2014. That snazzy vest! The too-darn-cute instagram-inspired phone cover! TWO kinds of neck tie! And other than the vest and the throw, they should all work up fairly quickly.

If your dad's a golfing kinda guy, take a look at this year's list, which includes 3 different patterns for golfers: Father's Day Crochet 2015





Lion Brand offers a classic looking set of Golf Club Covers. I like how the simple color changes make them look different, but they're clearly still a matching set. And those numbers are both nice looking and useful!

If your dad is a bit too goofy for that, try this Tee Bag pattern by Priscilla Hewitt. It's adorable, unique, and comes with its own pun!

 And for the Caddyshack fanatic, Red Heart has a pattern for Gopher Golf Club Covers. Too funny!
   

For the tech lover, try this simple, Stash Buster Tablet Case from Habitual Homebody. While great as a stash buster, you could also alter the colors to match your dad's favorite sports team. I'm sure the sizing would be fairly simple to adjust as well.

For a super duper easy gift, try the Absolutely Easy Glasses Case by Rachel Choi. Choosing a variegated yarn will give this simple pattern some interest, but it would look good in any color, and it's one of the more practical gifts you could give.

 Aaand, for the shameless self-promotion portion of this episode, my very own Power Tie Coffee Cozy pattern can be found in the May issue of Happily Hooked Magazine. (There are many other patterns in there too, of course.)

I may be biased, but I think it's pretty cute. You can try the magazine out for just 99 cents, but subscribers do get some special perks like a free coupons for patterns by designers included in the issue, including my very own Mod Bob.  

That one might not be suitable for dad...unless you're dad is SUPER fun. Then go for it!

The Victory of the Dark Side

Have you ever looked at a lovely colorwork pattern and thought, I like that, but...nahhh? Sometimes colorwork just isn't what you want to do, or won't create the effect you're looking for, or you simply have a stash of one color you want to do something with, and stripes aren't in the cards.

I experienced a combination of these feelings when I came across the pattern for the Victory Jumper, found via the V&A Knitting Pattern Archive.

and check out that vintage telephone!

The Victory Jumper, one of many vintage knitting patterns I've admired and one that promises, right there in the photo, "Such an Easy Pattern." Who could resist? I love the shape, the long waist and lacy blouse, and the long slim sleeves. It's flattering and fun. 

So, I knitted it.

In black.

First, I swatched like the good little knitter I (usually) am. The lace pattern looks quite different—and simpler—from a distance, but the single color also highlights the eyelets in the lace in a way the stripes don't. I decided to knit it with a somewhat slimmer shape to amplify that effect.

My gauge was a bit larger than the pattern required, so I adjusted the stitch count as well. The larger gauge also made those eyelets really pop.

Ta-daa!

It's fascinating (to me at least) how much adding or eliminating color changes can affect a garment's overall look. The scallops made so obvious by the color changes in the original design are virtually eliminated. If you look closely you can see the stitches sloping up and down, but the overall effect is if a vertical-striped lace.

I'm happy with the experiment and the result. The single dark color makes the top look less casual, more suited to a night out on the town than chatting with your girlfriends on your rotary phone...or whatever kids do these days.

classy and sassy

The dark side is victorious! And in this case, I don't mind a bit. Knit this sweater and you will probably be compelled to put your hands on your hips and strike a pose. There's really no way not to.

And one last pic where you can actually kinda see my earrings, just because this is literally the most I've ever matched in my life—skirt, top, earrings, and lips. It's madness!

Happy Knitting!

Crafty Disney

The most popular items in the Etsy shop for Strung Out Fiber Arts are always my Disney princess wigs. Whether it's finished items, like my Princess Ariel wig for babies (a perfect photo prop I might add), or patterns like my Cinderella wigs for both babies and adults, if it makes you feel like a princess, it's going to be a hit!

Now Attraction Tickets Direct has been kind enough to gather a fun group of  disney crafts and activities into a handy article: Crafty Disney!

Of course, I can't help but be a fan with my picture right there in the cover image. *blush*

Get the pattern here: Snow White Wig

But there are plenty of fun things from other crafty types as well. I was especially taken with this free tutorial on Princess Aprons on the Gluesticks blog. The apron idea is really ingenious—easy to put on and take off, and includes an adjustable waistband so the fun can last for years, even when your princess is growing like a weed.

A single base pattern can be altered to make 8 different princesses. Pretty clever, if you ask me.

Now that you're all dressed up with a wig and a fancy apron, sit back and relax with a Disney themed cocktail! Assuming you're of age, of course.

Cocktails by Cody has a Tumblr found here: http://cocktailsbycody.tumblr.com/ but at the time of this blog publication it seems to be having some tech issues with the photos. You can still find all kinds of goodies on his Facebook page, though. Like this Peter Pan themed cocktail, Lost Boy, for those who'd prefer not to grow up. And that's all of us, isn't it?

And there are plenty more where that came from. Don't forget to check out the full article on Crafty Disney for even more fun ideas!

Uterus Bean Bag

As a follow up to my post on feminist Mother's Day gifts, here's my own contribution. It's definitely a little wacky, and probably wouldn't be for everyone, but for the mom with a sense of humor, consider this uterus bean bag! Give mom a hilarious paperweight or stress ball for the office, or just a bit of anatomical home decor.

I'd never actually owned or used a stress ball before this, but now that I've made a few of the uterus variety, I see the attraction. They are strangely comforting to squeeze, and have a nice heft to them. I can imagine really squishing it during those times when you're stressed out or when you just wish you could leave your own uterus at home (you know those times).

They're also pretty fun to make, and a nice stash buster that uses less than an ounce of yarn total. This one measures about 4" in height and 6.5" across. It's larger in the hand than most stress balls, but I think that makes it all the more fun to squeeze.

This one is filled with navy beans, which are just about the perfect size for the project. They're large enough that there's no danger of any escaping, but small enough to fit even in those skinny fallopian tubes.

The uterus can be made with or without the ovaries. I like how solid it is with the ovaries tying the tubes (no pun intended) back to the uterus body. Without the ovaries, the tubes stretch out further, and actually might be kinda fun to play with, now that I think about it.

it kinda looks like it's dancing

This pattern includes a few unusual techniques and so I've added more photos to the pattern than in most of my other designs which I hope will demystify any strange things I might be asking you to do with your yarn. Of course, I'm also offering free customer service as I do with all my designs. If you have a question, don't hesitate to ask.


It's a fun pattern and pretty quick to whip up as well. I'm offering the pattern for sale for $3 via Etsy and Ravelry. But, from now until Mother's Day, it'll be half price with the coupon MOMSDAY. Have fun stitching!

Finished uteruses can also be purchased if you're less of a crafter and more of a craft supporter: Uterus Bean Bag

Feminist Mother's Day Gifts

April has found me working on several projects at once, and the blog has ended up taking a back burner to finishing pieces and writing patterns as I work my way through a couple fun projects (secret for now...shhh!) for Mother's and Father's Day, as well as finishing up some winter projects that haven't made it out of the WIP file just yet.

I don't know about you, but I find that Mother's Day gift ideas are, on the whole, not terribly empowering. It's disturbing how much of what Amazon thinks your mother will love has to do with house cleaning. Please don't get your mother a vacuum for Mother's Day. Just don't.

Since I have Mother's Day on the brain and haven't quite completed my own pattern to share, I've put together this list of feminist crochet and knitting patterns to celebrate the wonder woman in your life.


First up are the knits, and first on the list is (unsurprisingly) a Wonder Woman pullover by Natalie Bursztyn. I absolutely love this. The detail is amazing, and it's a FREE pattern on Ravelry! Can't get much better than that.





How about this Feminist Killjoy hat by Glitz Knits Boutique? I love the two-color pom pom and cheery colors. Be loud and proud, you feminist killjoys!




If you have the time for some small gauge colorwork, try these amazing FeminInos-mittens by Hedvig Egerö. The designer adjusted a cross stitch pattern to work in a knitted format. Genius! The detail is great in these.

Or how about a very warm and cozy looking Huntress Cowl by Karla Repperger. Inspired by The Hunger Games and the perfect accessory for smashing the patriarchy.

And now....onto the crochet!

First up, a crochet version of that Hunger Games inspired cowl, the Hooded Huntress Vest by Mamma DIY. The hood really adds to the coziness factor, and I love how this designer went wild with the colors. She looks like a girl on fire, doesn't she?



Because crocheters needs a little Wonder Woman in their lives too, here's a pattern for her snazzy headband. This Wonder Woman headband looks like a fun gift that would be quick to stitch up for any awesome lady.







This one might be a bit of a stretch, but I get a kick out of this Foxy eReader Cover from Creeks End Crochet on Etsy. Information is power, after all, and we all deserve a little foxiness in our lives.



And finally, a pattern to remind you to break the chains of patriarchy, a Chain Link Necklace. Shara Lambeth offers a free tutorial for this one-of-a-kind accessory.




This Mother's Day, I hope I've inspired you to make something to remind your mom just how awesome and powerful she really is. Get crafting!